Noel Cabangon says he enjoys performing with Gloc-9 and Aiza Seguerra

12/01/2012 11:41 PM

by: Rhea Manila Santos

Currently one of the most popular songwriters in the music industry today, Noel Cabangon once again takes the stage for a Christmas concert which will have him performing with younger artists like Aiza Seguerra and rapper Gloc-9. The talented singer admitted he has always enjoyed getting new ideas from collaborations like these.

Aside from Aiza and Gloc-9, Noel will also have Ogie Alcasid and Apo Hiking Society’s Jim Paredes and Boboy Garovillo in Tuloy Ang Biyahe (The Repeat) Ngayong Pasko at the PETA Theater Center in Quezon City from December 14 to 15.

After performing to a sold-out crowd last September at the Music Museum, Noel said it was an honor to perform for no less than President Noynoy Aquino—who visibly enjoyed the show—as well as other high-profile guests like DILG Secretary Mar Roxas, Senator Kiko Pangilinan, and Kuh Ledesma among others.

The upcoming concerts are meant to support PETA’s Endowment Fund campaign which aims to raise P50M in time for the theater group’s 50th anniversary in 2017. “This concert is not just about Christmas, it’s also a concert about my journey together with the company that I’m helping right now which is PETA,” he said.

Noel revealed he also used to be a theater actor as part of PETA. “Ito na rin yung Christmas offering ko for the year so maraming salamat sa PETA. Wala naman iba pang magtutulungan dahil ako po’y isang miyembro and it’s also my duty to help our organization. Sa kinalalagyan ko ngayon, I think it’s also best to bring my full support to my organization. Para mapakinabangan din po ako (laughs). Kasi hindi na ako umaarte ngayon eh, nagsusulat na lang ako ng mga kanta for theater music kasi ginive up ko na yung acting career kasi I’m not an actor,” he admitted.

As one of the staunch proponents of local music, Noel said OPM is not dead but the music industry should focus on producing more original songs. “Oo naman, buhay na buhay ang OPM. Yun lang kailangan siguro ng mga bagong creations na naririnig at maging popular. Siguro yung mga covers din dapat itabi na rin muna para mag-move forward. Kasi I think that’s the challenge for us now, is how we move forward. Kahit na sabihin natin na successful at maganda yung mga nakaraang mga covers, mga classics, it’s somehow also stalls us from moving forward so we really need new works and creations na kailangan makilala at sumikat,” he said.

After entering mainstream music, Noel said he is happy with the level of success he has reached which includes numerous music awards. “Yung pagkanta ko ng OPM classics, it’s also one way of bringing Filipino music to the younger generation. Parang ibang perspective lang sa pagtingin mo sa mga kanta. Itong mga kantang ito, parte ito ng history ng musikang Pilipino. I’m very happy. I feel so blessed and parang there’s validation. The years that I’ve been performing and writing songs…. parang yung pagtanggap ng tao for me is an affirmation. I didn’t have that expectation na tatanggapin ako ng ganun ganun kasi unang-una kasi nung nag-crossover ako I was 45 when I signed up with Universal Records so for me it was really an experiment to get into this kind of project. Yung Biyahe album plus OPM covers pa. But we stuck with what we wanted which is to veer away from the original renditions and to be sincere with my rendition and yung hindi rin lalayo din sa style ko. Hindi naming ini-expect na mag-double platinum,” he said.